In this inspired rendering of the classic Grimm Brothers folktale, five-time Caldecott Honor-winning artist Jerry Pinkney introduces two favorite childrens characters to a new generation: the sly, scary wolf and the sweet little girl in her famous red hood. Full color. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Starred Review. Produced in the same generous format as Pinkney's (The Ugly Duckling) previous retellings of classic tales, this inviting work opens with a view of the heroine's mother posed very much like Whistler's mother, stitching a certain red cloak as a small window shows snow falling. Next she fills a basket with chicken soup and raisin muffins for ailing Grandmother and instructs her daughter, Mind you, little miss . Be certain to go straight there. As the girl sets out, the full-bleed art, rendered in Pinkney's characteristic style, reveals snowy woodlands in which animals and birds are cleverly camouflaged. The wolf, however, appears front and center. He had a mind to eat her up at once, but the presence of woodcutters nearby deters him, and so he addresses her in his most pleasant voice. The inclusion of various sounds the crunch, crunch of the child's footsteps in the new snow, the chop, chop of the woodcutters' tools, and so on augments the book's appeal as a read-aloud. The wolf, although seen repeatedly with its jaws open, sharp teeth bared, mostly cuts a comical figure, poorly disguised in Grandmother's nightgown and cap. The writing and the art are spry and satisfying, and with its blue-eyed African-American heroine, this book will be especially welcomed by families looking for traditional tales that feature a multiracial cast. Ages 3-6. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Starred Review. K-Gr 3 Snow falls gently on the endpaper panorama just before Red Riding Hood sets off for her grandmother's with a basket of chicken soup and raisin muffins. Although a few other details have been changed, this new rendition of the fairy tale is faithful to the Grimms' original in its denouement and ending, in which a passing woodcutter kills the wolf, cuts open its stomach, and rescues grandmother and child. The double-page watercolor, pencil, ink, and gouache paintings in the artist's distinctive impressionist/realistic style are the draw here. Interestingly, Pinkney has painted a light-skinned black child and Caucasian adults. The mother's lace-edged nightcap, head covering, and shawl; the woodcutter's fur-collared jacket and peasant's cap; and his log-filled wooden sledge pulled by oxen set the story in an earlier era. The beautifully designed and rendered artwork including snowy woodland scenes, glimpses of Grandma's homey cottage, close-ups of Red Riding Hood, and a very wily wolf make this book a standout. Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

In this delightful, old-fashioned version of a familiar tale, Little Red Riding Hood is a "sweet little girl" whose mother stitches her a lovely hood, which the child cherishes and all the village people affectionately recognize. Against a snowy, wooded background, the child sets out in her red cloak to bring Mother's chicken soup and raisin muffins to ailing Grandmother. The story proceeds in the expected way. The woodcutter kills the wolf  "with one stroke of his ax" and cuts open the beast's stomach, releasing  "the kindly old woman." With lively detail (but no blood and guts) and lots of pattern and colors, Pinkney's watercolors show the predator in nightcap and glasses under Grandmother's patchwork quiltûûand then, in a double-page spread, the menace as it appears to the girl: "Oh Grandmother, what great teeth you have!" The pictures reflect the danger and the coziness, and they are just right for their preschool audience. Rochman, Hazel. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.